Realms Untold: Seekers of Light
by FedoraChar
Summary: The borders between worlds has become blurred as a particular un-named franchise has grown overly complicated. Now it's bleeding into other realms, leaving Pit and the lost characters of Nintendo to deal with the increasing problem of the Heartless. But will finding a Keyblade really solve matters?
1. Chapter 1: Back in Action

_Hello, folks! This is my first time on FF, although I'm certainly not new to fan fiction itself. I've dabbled mostly in Pokemon on various forums in the past, but after reading some fantastic Fire Emblem stories on here, I decided, what the hay? I'll sign up and give this place a shot!_

_Since I'm still getting used to this system, I thought I'd post a little lighthearted piece I've been working on lately. It's something I've been wanting to try for a while, but didn't really get the inspiration I needed until recently. Basically, a crossover between Nintendo and Kingdom Hearts. It's probably been overdone to tears, but still-write what you know, right? Chapter length might be irregular at first, just because I'm still trying to figure out the system and what not. _

_Anyway, sorry for the long note! Let's begin in Kid Icarus' world..._

* * *

**Chapter One: Back in Action**

Men came to call those days the Golden Era of the Goddess, the age without fear. The fall of the Lord of the Underworld brought peace and prosperity to all worlds of Angel Land, from Overworld below to Skyworld above. Watching over it was none other than the Lady herself, with the faithful assistance of her servants.

Admittedly, 'faithful' did not always equate to 'effective'.

Lady Palutena was grateful for the peace, of course, but she noted that it had the tendency to make people lazy. Particularly her people. Without enemies constantly threatening to break down the walls, the Centurions suddenly had found an alarming amount of free time that they hardly knew what to do with. Unfortunately, most resulted to sleeping on and off the job.

The goddess sighed as she passed yet another group of peacefully dozing guards. The simple oafs meant well, and would gladly lie down their lives for their goddess's will, but lately they hadn't had much opportunity for that. Sadly, however, the centurion army wasn't what it used to be—Medusa had seen to that.

The one person Palutena knew she could consistently rely on was the one person she was having a hard time tracking down. After the war, she had given him some space to let him recuperate. Taking out Hades had been no simple task, and Pit of all people deserved a break. But with morale taking a deep dive, she needed him back on the job. Now was as good as time as any to whip the Centurions into shape.

She thought that she might be able to find him on her own; after all, the little guy couldn't get very far on his own with his small wings. The task was proving more difficult than she anticipated. Her temple might as well have been empty for all the lack of activity on its grounds. Giving up, Palutena decided to turn to her telepathic powers. Sliding her shield off her arm, she turned its reflective surface towards her.

"Pit? Pit, where are you?"

An image of the angel replaced her reflection, jumping slightly as he heard her voice. Perhaps out of practice, Pit glanced left and right before remembering how her powers worked.

"L-Lady P-Palutena!" he stammered as he fumbled with something in his hands. Jerkily he hopped onto his feet and saluted her. "Er, I… Can I help you with something?"

The goddess tilted her head, half amused, half confused. His behavior was a little… off. "What are you doing?" she asked with a small chuckle.

Pit placed his hands behind his back, milking a façade of innocence. "N-nothing. Nope. Not doing anything here. Just a whole bunch of… nothingness."

That certainly didn't remove him from her suspicion. She narrowed her eyes playfully, even though she knew he couldn't see her. "Pit, you do know I am an all-seeing god. You can't hide anything from me."

He shifted uncomfortably before apparently remembering he had to keep up his act. Plastering on a smile, he waved dismissively. "Of course I know that… Anyway, was there something you needed?"

Palutena didn't need total omniscience to see that obvious attempt at changing the conversation. However, she decided to let it slide. Sobering, she said, "Yes, actually—have you been patrolling the borders lately?"

"Well… No, not really… I… kinda thought you were mad at me." He rubbed his head sheepishly.

"Mad at you? Why would you think that?"

"Cuz, well, you weren't talking to me. For a while. I thought that… maybe I might've done something wrong."

The goddess of light chuckled again, slowly shaking her head back and forth. "You haven't done anything wrong, silly. I was giving you a brief _vacation_."

"Oh. Huh. So… is it over now? Can I go back to serving you?" His face lit up in eager anticipation.

"Of course."

The angel jumped into the air, pumping his fist. "Yeah-ha-ha! Sah-weet!"

"Yep. You can start with that patrol I mentioned."

"Right! Er…" Sheepishly, Pit pulled out something from behind his back. "Can I finish this battle real quick first? It's against the gym leader…"

Palutena grinned as she sensed the fourth wall moaning. How long had it been? "Is that what you've been up to? Fine, just hurry and get it done. I want that patrol done as soon as possible."

The angel frowned. "Why's that?"

Her smile faltered for a fluttering second. "No reason. Let's just call it a dry run. Thanks, Pit."

Pit stood straight and saluted the goddess, nearly knocking his handheld device from his hold. "It's always a pleasure to serve you, Lady Palutena!"

* * *

After preparations, Pit stood at the edge of a precipice waiting for his goddess. As he stared down into the clouds below, he heard her voice enter his mind.

"Ready, Pit?"

"Always!" was his enthusiastic reply. Pit felt more than prepared to end his so-called vacation. The rest had been nice, but he missed his two favorite things about his missions: flying and Lady Palutena's company. Admittedly, Pit wished he could go flying on his own; what kind of an angel couldn't use his own wings anyway? Before Medusa's first uprising, all the angels had been able to fly. But then, she turned them to stone and… Well, that was one reason why Pit felt so sensitive about his shortcomings: he was the last angel of Skyworld.

"Here we go!" Lady Palutena warned.

Pit glanced over his shoulders at his wings and watched as they lit up with the goddess's power. Grinning from ear to ear, the angel launched himself from the ledge and met with the wind. It ruffled his thick brown hair like an old friend in greeting, blasting it free from his face. Feeling an adrenaline rush wash over him, Pit hollered on the top of his lungs and twisted his body into a tight barrel roll. Palutena let him drop into a steep dive before swooping out over one of the guard towers.

"It's been way too long, Lady Palutena," said Pit when he leveled out.

"Well, if I had known you were ready to end your break, I would have contacted you sooner. At any rate, let's check out that perimeter."

Pit tightened his grip on his bow as the goddess controlled his flight path, taking him on a wide turn around her palace. Even though times of peace had fallen upon the realm, Pit's deep sense of duty kept his eyes sharp. Not even the serene beauty of the skies around him distracted him for a second. Five minutes was all he had to run his perimeter check, and the last thing he wanted to do was fail the woman he served so faithfully.

The first few minutes passed by without much incident. As much as Pit hated to admit it, his mind began to wander. Some time had passed since the Underworld Wars, and he wondered how the humans he had fought so hard for fared. He didn't have the omniscience of his goddess, so he had no idea if they had successfully rebuilt their lives. Were they growing things again? Were they happy and safe? At the very least, he hoped the goddess of nature, Viridi, wasn't giving them trouble.

"You're awfully quiet today, Pit," Palutena observed. "Did you lose your gym match?"

Pit shook himself from his thoughts. "Hmm? No, no, I won. I was just thinking."

"Uh-oh. That sounds dangerous," she teased.

The boy angel scowled. "Hey, I resemble that remark!"

To his chargrin, the goddess giggled. "I think you mean, 'resent'."

"I've heard it both ways," the angel huffed. "You know, you've been rather quiet yourself." He paused, giving this trip more consideration. "Why are we out on this patrol again?"

The goddess took her time to reply. "I'm not sure."

That took Pit aback. How could Palutena, of all people, not be sure? She was an all-seeing goddess! "W-what do you mean?"

"I don't know. It's just… I've had this nagging feeling these past few days. Like something _should_ be wrong, but as far as I can tell, everything is going just fine."

Pit frowned, still feeling confused. "Maybe it's just gas?" he suggested.

"Er, I don't think so. It's… probably nothing. The power of flight is running out of time. We should get you back to the temple."

The angel's frown deepened. Had that much time passed already? "Aw… Can't we go a little further? Just to the other side of that cloud, maybe?"

"All right, we'll go a little further."

Pleased, Pit gave his wings an unnecessary flap. Although he had hoped the extra mile would drag out the time, they reached the other side faster than he would've liked. To his disappointment, there was nothing to be seen.

"Here we are," Lady Palutena's voice announced. "And here we g—"

The skies fell dead silent.


	2. Chapter 2: Deity of Space

_A/N: Uploading this early since I've been having internet issues; hope you enjoy! :) _

* * *

"…Lady Palutena?" Pit timidly called out, wondering if his connection with the goddess had been cut off. He scanned the skies around him once more for enemies or interferences, but failed to spy anything out of the ordinary. The clouds were as white and unassuming as ever.

"_Look out!" _

The angel heard the goddess's cry seconds before the sky split apart. The air became alive with sound and light, blasting Pit backwards into a rolling tumble. He fought against the dizziness and tried to get a handle on what was occurring. An ugly black and purple scar marred the skies before him, reminding him all too clearly of his episode with the Chaos Kin. Heart skipping with sudden fear, Pit watched the rift in space anxiously, half-expecting the unearthly creature to crawl out and threaten his goddess once more.

However, an entirely different creature emerged from the rift.

First to come through was a small head at the end of a sinuous long neck—worm-like, but ending in a sharp forward-facing crest. Sharp fangs jutted from its lower jaw, right before a pair of crazed ruby eyes. The creature released a raspy roar before the rest of its full form was revealed: a rose-tinted dragon with thick armor set over its shoulders, sword-like wings, and a thick, powerful tail.

"Watch out!" Palutena warned as the creature charged forward. Pit felt her influence jerk him out of the way before the dragon tore past him, but he couldn't escape the wind whipped up in its wake. For the second time, Pit found himself tumbling head over heels.

"W-what was that thing?" the angel stuttered as soon as he righted himself.

"This isn't good… That was Palkia, the deity of space. And she's in a rampage…"

"Wait, Palkia?! As in…" Pit paused. "Wait, _she_?!"

"This is no time to fall behind, Pit. You need to stop her—she's headed straight for the Temple!"

"R-right! Er, leave it to me!" Striking a pose, he declared, "It's dragon-slaying time!"

"Heavens no! Don't hurt her! Do you know what effect that could have on the very fabric of space?"

The angel's brave stance faltered. "I'm guessing… it would be bad?"

"Very bad. Let's just try to calm her down. And quickly—the power of flight is running out." She started moving the angel through the air again in pursuit of the outraged dragon.

Pit frowned, preferring problems he could surmount by shooting things out of the air. This situations had more complications than he was sure he could deal with. "How will I do that?"

"I'll equip a new power to your roster—with it, your bow shots should tranquilize Palkia without hurting her. Just be careful not to hit her more than three times, got it?"

"Got it!" To emphasize his readiness, Pit spun his bow in his hand before taking aim at the dragon. Her movement, however, was completely erratic. She squirmed rather than flapped through the air, her wings barely flapping as she sliced through the air like a sword. The first arrow Pit fired overshot his target by a mile.

"Sheesh, Pit—you haven't gotten rusty, have you?"

"She won't stop moving!" the angel grunted with a tone of indignation.

"Focus! You've dealt with worse before."

"I'm trying!" Pit bit his lip in intense concentration before releasing a second arrow.

This time, his projectile found its target; the arrow imbedded itself into the dragon's right flank. Unfortunately, the attack didn't go unnoticed. Palkia stopped her craven flight and snaked her head around to face Pit. She marked him with those baleful red eyes, releasing a terse snort.

"Er, time for a new tactic." Lady Palutena muttered in his head.

"W-what's that?" Pit stammered, unnerved by the dragon's livid glare.

Palkia released another bone-rattling roar before charging towards the angel.

"Try not to get eaten!" said Palutena as she turned the angel around.

* * *

The battle with Palkia reminded Pit somewhat of his battle with Hewdraw—except with more blue-plasma dragon-breath blasts and a lot less bickering. Palkia was dangerously fast, as well as completely beyond reason. Palutena guided Pit's flight, but it was up to the angel to dodge the frenzied creature's never-ending onslaught.

"I could really use a fairy-type right about now!" the angel yelped as he rolled under the dragon's glowing claws.

"You know, she's really not that bad. She's actually rather sweet, once you get to know her."

"Sweet?!" Pit exclaimed as a blast of blue dragon fire nearly singed his wings. Somehow, even between the claws and the breath, he just couldn't bring himself to believe his goddess at the moment.

"Yeah. She just has slight… temperament issues, that's all."

Pit merely grunted as he twisted about, taking aim at the dragon once more. As Palkia roared challengingly, he let another arrow fly. For the second time, his aim met its mark, striking the dragon square in the forehead. Palkia's roar was cut off-mid bellow, finally giving the angel some breathing room.

"Oh, ouch…" Palutena grimaced. "She's going to feel that in the morning…"

Honestly, Pit couldn't say he shared her sympathy. He found it hard to feel sorry for anything that seemed bent on turning him into chopped and/or charbroiled liver. He was also having difficulty accepting that this being was indeed Palkia: a creature he had assumed only existed in games. If it—er, she—was real, what else did that mean? What's more, what was she doing here?

Palkia shook off the attack and continued her pursuit. To Pit's relief her movements were noticeably slower, showing that Palutena's power-ups were working. One more hit, and that dragon would be sawing logs.

"Wow," said Pit as he admired his handiwork. "If it takes only three of these arrows to take out a space-bending dragon, then I wonder what it could do on a single Underworld minion… Hey, is it just me, or is it getting hot in here?"

He glanced over his shoulder, wondering if the dragon's breath had singed his wings after all. To his dismay, he could see his wings glowing red with heat.

"You're running out of time," warned Palutena. "You're going to have to end this, or I'll have to pull you out of there."

Pit grunted in acknowledgement. He suspected he would have gotten the job done sooner, if he didn't need to be so careful. Still, he felt no desire to find out what would've happened if something befell the deity of space itself. Dodging another swipe of the claw, the angel took aim once again.

Palkia, however, had more tricks up her sleeve. Holding back, she glared at the boy as the pearls on her shoulders began glowing with intense pink light.

"Uh, oh, Pit—watch out! Here comes her signature move!"

The boy angel nearly dropped his bow as Palutena jerked him to the left. Meanwhile, Palkia's attack reached fruition. The energy stored by the jewels transferred down her arm, which she swung in a swift uppercut. Her claws raked the space before her, ripping it apart and unleashing a blade of pure pink-tinted energy.

"S-spacial Rend!" the boy yelped as the blade rocketed in his direction. He twisted his body into a barrel roll to speed up his goddess's evasive maneuver.

Palkia's attack narrowly missed, but Pit felt new pain flare up in his wings. His time had run out.

"That's it. I'm getting you out of there. The Centurions can—"

"No, wait!" Pit objected, glancing at his opponent. The dragon hung motionless in the air, apparently recharging after the all-out attack. He still had one slim window of opportunity. "Cut off the power of flight!"

"What? I can't just—!"

"Trust me! I can get this last shot!"

The goddess was hesitant, but Pit felt the pain in his wings ebb as she withdrew the power of flight. The sky began slipping away from him as he fell backwards, keeping his eyes on the dragon. Keeping his wings and legs spread out for balance, Pit drew back the ethereal string on his bow. Sluggishly, Palkia nose-dived after him, clearly deluded and weak but still intent on finishing her prey.

When the creature was directly overhead and in his range, Pit released his last arrow.

Palkia bellowed in surprise as it struck her shoulder, but its effect was swift. The dragon fell limp as the last dose of tranquilizer knocked her out. Pit cried out in victory, but soon realized he had a new problem on his hands.

An unconscious dragon was falling on top of him.

"That was your plan?!" Palutena's voice scolded incredulously.

"It sounded better in my head!" Pit screamed out as Palkia's mass descended quickly towards him.

"We really need to work on your critical thinking skills. Lucky for you, I got you covered. Catch!"

Palkia suddenly shimmered, and like a snake shedding its skin the dragon's scales flaked away and scattered in the light. Soon all that was falling towards Pit was a small round object that the angel easily caught.

"A pearl?" He blinked.

"It's a Pokémon thing… I'll explain later. Let's get you back on solid ground, first."

"I won't say no to that…" He didn't feel particularly eager to find out what happened when falling angel met ground.

* * *

_A/N: Ha-didn't think that was a Heartless, did ya? Nope, but soon we'll be getting into the "world" concepts behind KH logic-and who better to introduce that then the space deity Palkia herself? Well, when she's in her right state of mind. Those darn legendaries-they may be OP'd, but they have ridiculously short tempers. Get on their bad side and they go off the deep end :P But hey, she's got a good excuse this time around, which we'll get into next chapter. _

_That aside, I'd appreciate any constructive criticisms! Especially since I'm dealing with canon characters. I've been so used to using OCs in Pokemon fanfics that I'm usually not comfortable handling characters that aren't my own. But I'd still like to give it a shot, because this is a story that I'd like to tell :) Thanks for reading!_


	3. Chapter 3: Woe of the Worlds

**Chapter Three:** _Woe of the Worlds_

Palutena frowned as she personally checked over her last angel's wings. Simple enough, but Pit made it more difficult by his constant fidgeting. She knew he was bursting with questions, but she refused to say anything until she was certain his health was intact. The last time he overused the power of flight was still fresh in her mind.

"Doesn't look like there's any permanent damage," she finally concluded, releasing him.

Immediately the angel broke free and whirled around to face her. "I told you. Now can you tell me what's going on? What's Palkia doing here? Why was she acting so crazy? And why is she suddenly a stone? Does this mean that are Pokémon real? If they are… can I get a Pikachu?"

The goddess of light took a deep breath. "Yes. I don't know. Not sure. Because all Pokémon came from earth. Yes. No."

He stared at her blankly. "Um… Okay…? Now maybe explain…?"

She sighed. "Sorry, I didn't think I'd have to bring this up until the next Super Bash Sisters game."

"…You mean, Super Smash Bros."

She waved dismissively. "What I'm trying to say is, other universes exist other than our own. A lot of those games you play come from the stories that occurred in those universes."

Pit let that sink in for a while before grinning impishly. "So Pokémon _are_ real!"

"But you _won't_ be getting one," she gave him a stern look. "There are strict rules in place that keep the worlds separate and distinct, and for good reason. Can you imagine the chaos there would be if there were no boundaries between the worlds? People and _things_ coming and going as they please? Think about it this way—what would have happened if Hades invaded the Pokémon World? Or stole the Triforce from the Zelda universe?"

The angel winced. "Yeah… That would've been bad…"

"Exactly. That's why crossing-over is not normally tolerated—for the sake of maintaining order and balance in each world."

"But then… what about Super Smash Bros? Does it take place in its own world, too?"

"It's a bit of a special case. There has to be an opposite to everything; so, to create balance, order must be complimented by chaos. That's why the World of Trophies was created—to channel chaos and keep it contained. No real people actually live there, however; instead, avatars of the worlds' heroes are created and sent in their stead. These would be the trophies you see in the game."

Palutena's angel opened his mouth in a circle. "Ooooooh. I guess that explains why I've never been there before, even though I'm in the game. Wait, when did you make an avatar of me?"

"When you were asleep. I figured I'd tell you about it once we finally got our sequel, but I guess I forgot about it."

Pit frowned, upset that he had missed out on that. The avatar thing sounded interesting, and he wished he could have seen his own in person before it got shipped off. Still, he thought it was neat that somewhere some tiny version of himself was fighting off calamities. Unlike a certain other version he could think off.

Glancing over at the pedestal in the center of Palutena's chambers, Pit studied Palkia's pearl. "So… if the worlds are supposed to stay separate, then why is Palkia here?"

The goddess followed his gaze and pursed her lips. Standing with her in person, Pit could see how much the situation troubled her. "As deity of space, Palkia is responsible for keeping the boundaries between the worlds, making sure they stay separate. She can freely move between them if the needs are great enough, but… Something terrible must have happened to her to throw her into a fit like that…"

"Like what?"

"…I'm not sure… We'll just have to wait until—"

Palutena cut off as a sudden humming filled the air. Both goddess and angel stood at attention as the pearl in the center of the room began glowing. As if suspended by some unseen force, it began to rise and increase in size. Pit took a step in front of Palutena as the stone blossomed into a dragon once more—much smaller in size, but still a force to be reckoned with.

Eyes still red with rage, Palkia scanned the room hungrily. A harsh feminine voice pierced Pit's thoughts.

"_All right, where's that puny little angel? I gotta score to settle with him." _

* * *

Palutena took charge before the situation could erupt into chaos. Speaking quickly, she welcomed the legendary dragon.

"Lord Palkia, you gave us quite the scare back there. What on earth brings you to Angel Land?"

The dragon snorted. _"Angel Land? Is that where I ended up? Huh. Guess there's worse places… Hope I didn't trash the place. Wasn't quite in my right mind, if you know what I'm saying."_

Pit blinked, wondering at the dragon's manner of speech. She spoke bluntly and with a slight drawl—not at all what he was expecting for the supposed deity of space. Half of him had been expecting another Arlon, or maybe even a sultry voice like Pandora's. Instead, Palkia gave off clear tomboy vibes.

The goddess of light nodded sympathetically. "I thought you seemed a little… out of sorts. What happened?"

Palkia's grimace turned into a snarl_. "What happened? I'll tell you what happened! Some stupid franchise has grown bigger than its britches and is giving me all kinds of grief." _The dragon stomped its feet, shaking the entire room_. "Hmph! Why anybody thought it was a good idea to create those soul-sucking leeches of darkness is beyond me. They keep popping up in all the wrong places and I'm at my wit's end trying to keep them contained. Even with all my efforts, worlds are disappearing left and right. But of course, that's what happens when you craft a game that has A COMPLETE LACK OF REGARD FOR THE BOUNDRIES BETWEEN WORLDS. THINGS WERE BOUND TO GET OUT OF HAND. BUT NO. IT'S ALL FOR THE STORY. ARGH, JUST THINKING ABOUT IT—"_

Pit winced as the dragon's voice skyrocketed in volume. The spatial Pokémon was getting worked up again, and the angel worried that he might have to calm her down again. Thankfully, Palutena intervened once again before things could take a turn for the worst.

"Palkia, calm down… You're not making any sense."

Palkia pressed her jaws into a thin line in an apparent attempt to retrain herself. Releasing her breath in a gusty sigh, the dragon said, _"The boundaries between worlds are being threatened, Goddess of Light. My realm is diving into chaos. Been working my tail off to restore order, but the second I had my back turned, I was attacked."_

"But that's impossible. You're the only one with access to the Realm Between."

"_Not anymore,"_ the dragon snorted derisively. _"Like I said, _they've_ been breaking rules left and right. They're making their own paths…" _

Pit had been trying his best to follow the conversation, although ultimately failing. Palutena had only just introduced him to the concept of worlds. All this talk went over his head. Still, having sat on the side lines for so long, he felt he had to speak up.

"Who's they?" The angel asked.

Palkia opened her mouth to reply. Before she could utter so much as a syllable, the doors to Palutena's chambers swung open.

"Lady Palutena!" a tiny Centurion squeaked in the open doorway. "Milady, there's been an attack! The humans are suffering!"

The deity of space slowly straightened, her face grim. _"I was afraid of that."_

* * *

Chaos. Familiar, but unwelcomed.

In the streets the people were screaming and shouting, some raising their voices to the gods and demanding why their happiness had been shattered so soon. Was peace that intolerable? Were the gods pleased only when mankind suffered?

While these stooped in their self-pity or bitter accusations, a few men—veteran soldiers—took up arms against the rising threat. However, their attackers were unlike anything they had ever faced before. Not even the forces of the Underworld compared; these new and foul creatures were mindless but unyielding, bolstered by their ungodly number. Their dead yellow eyes stared out of their black skins, hungrily eyeing their victims.

The human resistance was quickly discovering that their weapons were useless. Some breezed through these new enemies harmlessly, as if they were nothing but ghosts. Others discovered that those they managed to vanquish only returned.

Only one fighter was having any success: a masked youth with a strange sword and dark cerulean hair.

This chaos was all too familiar to this fighter, and all the more unwelcomed. One fight always led to another. The fighter was beginning to realize that the road to home would never be paved smoothly.

* * *

_A/N: Sorry for how brief this chapter is, but the next chapters will be much longer-and full of actual action ;D __At any rate, yay! I finally (officially) got to introduce Palkia! I hope people won't be too upset that I decided to make her female, but personally in my mind I like assigning genders to Legendary Pokemon even though they are supposedly genderless :P I also chose to make her female so I could assign her a properly gruff tomboy personality, which I am very eager to write about in future chapters. Poor Pit's got yet another gal to harass around xD  
_

_Speaking of Pokemon, we touched a little of my own headcannon/theory/ect concerning the little creatures and their origins. Most species (if not all) seem to have strange connections to stones. You have evolutionary stones (even the Everstone), and more recently the Megastones. Then you have the light and the dark stones, which held Zekrom and Reshiram. Palkia's "Pearl" form that I used in this fic is basically the same thing-a dormant stage for the dragon. I could go into more details and theories, but this isn't a Pokemon fic, so... HEARTLESS!_


	4. Chapter 4: Attack on Heartless

_A/N: I was replaying the "Heads of the Hewdraw" chapter of Kid Icarus: Uprising the other day, and got the most random conversation. Pit said he wished he could be a goldfish, and when asked why he just says because it'd be so easy... Palutena admits she can never keep them for very long. And it just ends. ...LoL? Just thought it was weird, but ya gotta love the dialogue in that game xD_

So anyway, I realized sometime during this chapter that I might be using some worlds/characters that folks might not be familiar with, which concerns me a little. I'm wondering if I should start including bios or some kind of background material so folks don't get too confused... Let me know what I should do if you come across this :) Thanks!  


_And one final note-there's two new characters in this chapter. One which is from Fire Emblem: Awakening (that is a bit spoilery for the game), and another that is a loose reference to both Greek mythology and a game I have heard of but never played that was produced by a third-party developer to Nintendo (therefore emphasis on LOOSE). I'll explain more at the end of this chapter. For now, enjoy!_

* * *

Falchion slid through the creature with ease, dissipating it into smoldering clouds of blackness. The wielder of the legendary blade had little time to catch their breath before the next foe struck. Fortunately, its attack was reckless and easily dodged. One side step later, it met the same end as its former companion.

Lucina leapt back out of the fray, taking a moment to catch her breath. Although she had never encountered these foul creatures before, they were not unlike Risen—the undead warriors she had dealt with in the past. Both breeds of evil were similarly mindless and bent on killing anything with a beating heart. Neither left behind a corpse.

She found she could deal with this new threat the same way she had dealt with the Risen. In many ways they were easier to defeat, but what gave her difficulty were their numbers. For every creature she felled, three more filled their place. The creatures crawled all over the village she had found herself in, and no one but Lucina could seem to hold them off for long. Innocents were falling left and right, despite all her efforts. She was beginning to realize this battle was grimly one-sided.

"Retreat! Retreat to the temple!"

Lucina glanced up through her mask to see a small group of militia fleeing through the streets. Leading them was a man she had recognized from the start of the invasion. He wielded a weapon she was unfamiliar with—a dark, barbed sword with no hand guard. With it in hand, he seemed to have an easier time fighting the enemy than his comrades, although he could not dispel the creatures like Lucina could. Still, he fought the harder battle in keeping his men alive.

His eyes glanced her way with a hint of recognition. Waving to her, he shouted, "Help me get these men to the temple!"

The ex-princess's momentary reprieve was over. Grunting with a nod, Lucina sprinted after them, slashing at any creature that threatened to impede the group's progression.

Keeping her voice low to mimic a man's voice, as she had done so long ago, Lucina asked, "Does this temple offer a better defensive position?"

The leader smirked. "In a way. You're not from around these parts, are you? The temple is dedicated to the Goddess of Light—Palutena. Those foul monsters cannot set foot there."

He sounded confident. Lucina could only hope that confidence wasn't misplaced. While she had never heard of this deity, her travels had taught her to be open-minded. "Are you certain of this?"

One of the soldiers promptly spoke up. "Yes! I've seen it with my own eyes. The temple is protected!"

"The women and children have been ushered inside," the leader continued. "We've tried our best to search for stragglers, but my men can't handle much more. It's high time we saved our own hides, and live to fight another day. The name's Heracles, by the way."

"Marth," the word spilled quickly out of her mouth before she could give it a thought.

"Hmm, foreign for sure," the man grunted. "But I appreciate your help, nonetheless."

He continued to lead the retreat seemingly unbothered, while "Marth" fell to the rear of the column. The group continued to wend their way through the ruins, with Lucina and Heracles giving it their best to fend of the attacking creatures. She hadn't noticed it at first, but some of the men they protected seemed affected by the onslaught. Their faces were pale and taut, as if stricken with illness. Although concerned, Lucina kept the brunt of her focus on protecting them, whirling Falchion through the air left and right.

"There it is!" Heracles announced as they rounded a block of half-collapsed buildings. The only intact structure in the area was the one he gestured at with his barbed sword. Rectangular in shape, the temple's outer walls were lined with tall, snow-white columns, the statue of a graceful woman guarding its doors. The village's assailants were gathered around it, although they seemed physically incapable of venturing inside. The creatures would stretch their claws out with vile intent, only to shrink back as if striking an unseen barrier. Between the pillars, she could see the relieved faces of the townsfolk watching their failures.

Heracles beamed at his men, waving his weapon about. "Take heart, men! Just a few steps more!"

Those that still had energy surged forth, but the sickly ones stumbled. Lucina and Heracles skidded to a stop.

"Men?" the older warrior asked, hesitant.

No answer came from the stricken. They gaped at their protectors mindlessly, black auras radiating from their beings. Lucina's mind went blank as she laid witness to a new horror. Before her eyes, the men lost all humanity. Thier forms became twisted and stained with black. Their vacant eyes grew large and pupil-less, turning on their former comrades with hunger.

The first to recover, Lucina shouted a warning at Heracles.

The warrior, left dumb stricken at the transformation of his once close allies, could not react quick enough before the monsters jumped him.

* * *

"No!" Pit shouted as he watched the battle through Palutena's scrying pool. "This… This is terrible!"

Turning to Palkia, he asked, "What are those things?"

The dragon scowled at the vision with distaste. _"In the world they come from, they are known as Heartless—manifestations of the darkness in people's hearts. They were supposed to stay in their own Realm. But since everybody and their grandma has darkness in their hearts, there ain't many places they _can't_ get to. This is only the beginning…"_

Pit didn't like the sound of that—not one bit. He glanced up at his goddess, hoping for some encouraging word, but Palutena looked uncharacteristically grim as she stared at the vision in her pool. Following her gaze, Pit watched as the masked warrior struggled to rescue the group's leader. He was dismally outnumbered…

"We've gotta help them!" the angel declared, clenching his fists. "Lady Palutena, I need to get down there!"

His bold declaration shook the goddess from her reverie. She slowly turned to face him, her expression was unreadable.

"_Ha!"_ Palkia barked. _"Don't be brash. You? They'd eat your light for breakfast, kid."_

"I'm not a kid!" retorted Pit. Returning his focus on his goddess, he begged, "Please. I can't just stand by and watch the humans suffer like this. There's got to be something we can do."

"…We may be the only ones who _can_ do anything," Palutena glanced at Palkia, who frowned. Turning to her angel, the goddess sighed, "But you've already used the power of flight today…"

Pit fidgeted in place, stealing another glance at the scrying pool. "Isn't there some other way to get me down there?"

Palkia snorted derisively. _"What am I? Chopped liver?"_

He shot her a confused look. Palutena, however, shook her head. "I couldn't ask you to do that—you're still recovering from the attack."

"_Please, goddess,"_ the dragon rolled her eyes. _"I ain't delicate; it would take more than the likes of chicken-wings over there to take me down. Us Legendaries are made from tougher stuff than that. If you really think your angel's gonna do any good here, then you get him geared up. _I'll_ get him down there and throw him into the fray." _

Palutena's angel was about to ask how she was going to do that, until it clicked. Space-bending dragon and that… how could he forget? "Er, I hope you don't mean that literally," he piped.

Her reply was an unsettling tooth-filled grin.

* * *

"_One… Two… Three… CONTACT!"_

Pit barely had time to blink before he descended into chaos, promptly falling on his face. His journey through Palkia's wormhole had been less than enjoyable. Running through it felt like sliding through a kaleidoscope, full of vibrant colors and constantly shifting shapes. With all the constant motion, Pit felt like he had been running in place; it seemed like magic when the light at the end of the tunnel jumped at him, tossing him back into reality.

The wormhole had been completely devoid of sound. Now, suddenly finding himself literally thrown into the midst of a town in peril, the cacophonous choir of battle stung his ears.

"_Still in one piece, chicken wings?"_ Palkia's voice reached his mind as he picked himself up from the ground.

He listed to the side, wobbling unsteadily on his feet as his vision danced in a circle. "Ugh… I feel like I've been on Pandora's merry-go-round…"

"_That sounds like a riot, heheh."_

"Seriously, though. What did you do to me? Am I missing a liver? Did something go wrong?" The angel's imagination ran wild with everything and anything that could go wrong during a trip through space. What if his insides had ended up on the outside? What if his kidney ended up in Timbuktu?

"_Calm down, kid. That's just a side effect. The dizziness will wear off soon enough."_

"Hopefully sooner than later," the angel muttered, still trying to get solid footing. He was thankful, at the very least, that the trip through the wormhole hadn't been any longer; it had reminded him somewhat of Pandora's maddening Labyrinth. Even Palutena had difficulty guiding him through the twisted dungeon, where right could be left and up could be cheese.

"_Look alive, chicken-wings. Shadows at twelve o'clock!" _

Pit shook his head and tried to focus. Sure enough, a pack of insect-like creatures squirmed towards him, antennas twitching above their saucer-shaped eyes. Steeling himself for battle, Pit raised his new bow—the Kingdom Bow, as Palutena had called it. Glinting with both gold and silver, it had a simple, gradual curve to it, much like his signature weapon; the grip had a shape reminiscent of a crown, although the arrow rest itself was etched in the symbol of a heart. The goddess of light had crafted this bow specifically to face these creatures.

"_The Heartless are embodiments of darkness,"_ she had informed him. _"Only weapons of magic and light can keep them at bay."_

"Let's see if this works," the angel grunted as he drew back his hand. An arrow of pure white light formed down the bow's sight, aimed directly for a witless Shadow. Mentally crossing his fingers, Pit let the projectile fly.

His aim was spot on. The arrow struck the creature in the forehead, and instantly it evaporated into black smoke.

"Yeah!" Pit hooted, pumping his fist in the air. "It worked! Lady Palutena, did you see that? It worked!"

He heard her brief guffaw. _"Of course it did. Was there any doubt that it wouldn't? It _is_ my own handiwork, after all."_

"_Don't get cocky, you two,"_ Palkia huffed. "_That's only one Heartless out of a thousand, with more are popping up by the second." _

As if to emphasize the dragon's point, more Shadows pooled around the angel, slowly rising out of the ground with their claws ready. They started closing in on Pit, but he was hardly intimidated. Smirking with new confidence, the angel yanked his bow apart and readied its blades.

"Time to go to town!"

The Shadow Heartless fell just as easily to the blades as they did to the arrow. Although they outnumbered him, Pit utilized his speed and dexterity to mow his way through them. The first wave quickly fell, but replacements were on the way. Pit frowned as more Shadows scurried towards him.

"_Forget the small fry," _Palkia chimed in. _"They ain't worth your time. Keep your strength up for the real fight." _

"What do you mean by that?" Pit asked, warily drawing another arrow.

Before Palkia could respond, Palutena voice lanced through his thoughts.

"_Pit, you need to get to those humans, and fast_! _They need you, now!"_

The angel was running even before he eagerly replied, "On it!"

The Heartless gave chase, but Pit stubbornly refused to be impeded by their efforts. Charging up a shot, he gave his pursuers a powerful backwards dash attack before speeding around the next corner, where he knew the humans' temple would be. Already he could hear their distressed screams. Hopefully, the goddess's blessing would continue to shield the—

Pit skidded to a halt as soon as the temple came into sight. The humans cowered inside, their eyes locked a hulking monstrosity rampaging outside their sanctuary. Unlike the Heartless before, this beast stood almost as tall as the temple itself. Sharp horns rose from its bull-like skull, which in turn was supported by a sinewy man-like torso. In both hands it held crude swords, square in shape but hooked at the tip. As the Heartless twisted about, Pit could see a heart-shaped hole running all the way through its chest.

"_A Minotaur Heartless? Well, that's original_…" Palutena grumbled.

Ignoring her comment, Palkia cheerfully said, _"Well, congratulations! Looks like you found the boss! Now hurry and go kick its trash so we can get this over with. I'm getting hungry."_

"Is it lunch time already?" asked Pit, momentarily forgetting the situation as he always did when food was brought up. He was quickly recalled when the Minotaur suddenly bellowed, swinging one of its blades down in apparent frustration. Pit blinked as he saw something a blue blur dash between its legs.

"Hey, someone's trying to fight it!" he needlessly shouted.

"_What? But who…?"_ Palutena trailed off.

Making no further delay, Pit leapt back into action, pulling back on another arrow. He let it charge up a moment before rolling forward, using his momentum to create a powerful forward dash attack. The Minotaur was completely blindsided as his arrow impacted its shoulder, causing it to lose its balance. Taking advantage of the distraction, the blue blur leapt at the creature's face, spinning twice before bearing a golden sword down on its face.

Pit arrived right where the warrior landed with another arrow nocked.

"Thanks," the golden sword's wielder gruffly acknowledged, speaking in a low but youthful voice. His face was obscured by a butterfly-shaped mask, but as far as Pit could tell, he _seemed_ human. The angel had to wonder otherwise, given his unusual apparel and remarkable fighting prowess. His attacks seemed to be having real effect against the Minotaur Heartless. It clutched at its right eye in obvious pain.

"Er, don't mention it?" Pit replied, experiencing major déjà vu. Strangely, he felt like he was reliving his first encounter with the human, Magnus.

"_Wait, is that…?"_ Palutena spoke up, mystified. _"No… It can't be…!"_

"Is something wrong, Lady Palutena?" the angel frowned, ignorant of the strange look he earned from the masked warrior.

The Minotaur was on them again before he could hear her reply. Pit jumped backwards, avoiding its massive blade before firing his next light arrow. This time, the creature was prepared for Pit's attack. It lifted its hilt in time to deflect his attack, and would have followed up with a counter strike if the masked warrior hadn't interfered. The Minotaur instead stepped backwards to avoid getting grazed by the golden sword.

Pit surged forward to assist the warrior, but the Heartless boss suddenly spun around, whipping the both of them with its tail. The duo was sent flying backwards, landing hard on their backs several feet away. Both the landing and the blow knocked the wind from them.

"He sure packs a punch," Pit winced.

"We need to work together," the masked warrior grunted, using his sword as a crutch as he got back on his feet. "The eyes and the ankles are the weak points… Cover me while I go for the ankles!"

"Sounds like a plan to me." Pit lifted the Kingdom Bow and took aim.

* * *

_A/N: Aaaaaaand here we go! I hope I don't confuse you with Lucina in this and the next chapter. She is disguising herself as a young man, which is why you will see her addressed as a "he" when we are in Pit's point of view. Oooohhh, the fun we shall have. :)  
_

_Now, regarding Heracles. No, he is not THE Heracles-not the one from mythology and not exactly the one from Glory of Heracles. I have never played that game, so this Heracles will remain, as I've said, a loose reference with a personality of my own choice. In my mind, he is merely named after the legendary hero, although the sword he uses is an actual weapon from Greek mythology. I actually debated naming him Perseus instead, but in the end I wanted to keep that small reference to the Glory of Heracles. Soooo, there you have it._

_What happened to that sucker anyway? Weeeeeeell, we'll have to find out later :)  
_


	5. Chapter 5: Warriors of Light

_A/N: Sorry for the lateness of this chapter, but May is a ridiculously busy time for florists, as you can imagine. I lost my chapter buffer as well, but what can you do? :) Since I'm trying to do longer chapters, I might switch to updating every other week instead of every week.  
_

_I figured the last chapter would cause a little confusion, but I need to make this clear-the "Marth" referred to in these chapters is not THE Marth. I'm excited to finally have our second main character in here, who is one of my favorites from FE: Awakening! :) Without further ado..._

* * *

Lucina and the winged boy launched into their plan just as the bull-faced monster shuffled towards them, blades at the ready. The archer fired his arrow at the beast's face, distracting it long enough for Lucina to close the distance between them. While her unexpected comrade continued raining arrows, she set Falchion at her side. The blade glowed blue as she ran it through the beast's haunches, illuminating the wisps of darkness that escaped the wound it left in its wake.

The creature released a fresh bellow of pain, but to Lucina's frustration, it remained standing. She had failed to sever any tendons like she had been intending. Still, the princess had no time to fret; the monster returned its attention on her, dropping both of its massive blades down.

Blocking was out of the question. Lucina leaped backwards and narrowly missed a beheading.

"My turn!"

The masked swordswoman glanced up to see the archer scaling the beast's back, using his wings for an extra boost. Their foe flailed its arms in annoyance, attempting to dislodge the winged boy, but with little success. When he managed to reach the head, the boy pulled back another bolt.

"Light Arrow! Apply directly to the forehead!" he shouted before letting it loose.

At that point, Lucina wasn't sure if her new ally was insane or… odd. Still, his unusual tactic had merit. The beast howled in pain, dropping its weapons before clutching its head. Lucina saw her chance. She dashed in for another attack, followed closely by the winged archer. Together, they took turns delivering strokes to the beast's hide until it retaliated. Lucina and her comrade were sent flying again as it backhanded them.

If the beast had been outraged before, now it completely livid. Snorting white smoke from its nostrils, the creature dug its hooves into the ground several times before lowering its head.

"Quick! Heads or tails?" the archer asked as he picked himself back up.

Lucina inclined her head towards him, baffled. "What…?"

The beast began its charge, aiming its horns right at the duo.

"Heads it is, then," the winged boy hastily replied. Leaving Lucina in the dust, he rushed forward as if to tackle the beast head-on. When he drew near, the beast swung his fist down, but the boy rolled between its legs. As he landed on his feet, he thrust his bow blades out and sliced into the monster's ankles.

Releasing a surprised but chocked bellow, the beast fell to the earth. At last, Lucina realized what the winged boy had meant. Picking up Falchion, she leapt into the air and bore down the final blow, impaling the creature right through the skull.

Time froze. The temple square fell dead silent, all motion ceasing for a brief moment. Then, the monster collapsed in on itself. Lucina braced herself as its hulking mass evaporated into black mist, blasting her face with a gust of wind. Soon nothing remained of the creature, no sign that it had ever existed, save for the hole Falchion had pierced into the ground. The shadows that had been watching the fight began to shrink away, disappearing to parts unknown.

Lucina stood and pulled her legendary sword free. Though she had hoped for a reverent moment to gather her wits, her wish was denied.

"Woohoo!" the winged boy hooted, raising his bow triumphantly into the air. "Heartless Boss annihilated! How was that for _chicken wings_, Palkia?"

He looked pointedly into the sky, as if challenging some onlooker. Lucina gave him a cautious side-glance as she slowly sheathed Falchion. Did she dare interact with him further? She had to admit that though he had demonstrated capable fighting abilities, there was something… not quite right in his head. If that were the case, perhaps it would be better if she—

"Hey, wait!" She winced. Too late. She turned to see the winged boy practically rushing over to her, his mouth moving at a thousand miles per hour.

"That was amazing back there! Those crazy jumping attacks and that crazy golden sword and the glowing thing and… You're a really good fighter, for a human—er, you are human, right? Do you know Magnus, maybe? Wait, are you from around here? What's your name?"

From behind her mask, Lucina blinked. His questions were overwhelming… Did he honestly expect an answer from all of them? Which one should she answer first? Deciding the last was the easiest, she calmly but curtly replied, "Marth."

Although she had felt more comfortable using that cover name this time around, she hadn't expected his reaction. The winged boy's eyes grew wide.

"Wait, Marth? Like… _the_ Marth? The prince of Altea? From _Fire Emblem_? No way! But… it makes sense! Blue hair, blue clothes, awesome fighting skills… Is that Falchion, then? It looks a bit different from what I remember. You're a bit smaller than I expected, too. In _Smash Brothers_ you always looked—"

Lucina's breath hitched when he named her weapon. Out of reflex she took a step back, her hand flying back to Falchion's hilt. No one in this country knew about her or her weapon. No one _should_ have known. "How do you know that name?" she demanded.

The boy must have realized he struck a chord. He held out his hands in an attempt to placate her. "Whoa, whoa, easy—just calm down a second. I know because I…" He stopped, a strange expression crossing his face. "Wait… You… You're not supposed to be here."

Turning his attention back to the sky, he asked, "Palkia, what's going on?"

Lucina again considered just walking away. This boy was clearly unstable, speaking to no one in particular—and then holding conversations with them. The thing that kept her rooted in place, however, was his apparent knowledge of Marth and Falchion. 'Altea' was a name that had thrown her for a loop. She wasn't certain she had heard that name before… Was she just—

"What? But if he's not Marth, then… Who is he?" The angel frowned, returning his confused gaze to her. However, his eyes grew wide for the second time. "Wait… He's a girl?!"

Falchion flew from its sheath, pointing straight at the boy's throat. Without bothering to mask her voice, Lucina growled, "Who are you? _What_ are you?"

"H-hey!" the archer gulped, staring down her blade. "E-easy! I'm a good guy! A friend!"

She didn't move Falchion. If anything, she tightened her grip.

Moving cautiously, the boy slowly lifted his bow and used it to ease move Falchion away. "Look, I think we got off on the wrong start…" he tried to sound casual. "How about we start over? Hi, I'm Pit."

He held out his hand in a friendly gesture. Lucina, however, didn't return it. Behind the mask, she narrowed her eyes.

Awkwardly, 'Pit' withdrew his hand. "Er, right. Anyway, I'm an angel—a servant to the Goddess of Light, Lady Palutena. The reason why I know so much about yo—I mean, '_Marth'_, is because…"

He stopped, his eyes darting to the skies again. "What's that, Lady Palutena? …Er, is that allowed? Okay, then!"

Addressing Lucina, he added, "If it's alright with you, Lady Palutena would like to speak with you in person. Is that okay?"

Lucina lowered her weapon. Palutena? That was the name Heracles had used, before… the monster appeared. This 'Pit' certainly wasn't making it up, then. Was this goddess a real person?

Pit seemed to take her slight relaxing as an affirmative. Grinning, he glanced over at the people cowering in the temple. "Hold on one second," he told her.

Before she could stop him, the angel approaching the temple. Calling to the villagers, he declared, "People of the Overworld! The Boss has been conquered, and the Heartless have retreated! You may return to your homes, now. If trouble ever arises again, know that the Goddess of Light has blessed this temple. You will always find sanctuary here."

Even from where she stood, Lucina could see the relieved expressions on the faces of the people. Some even began to cheer, praising the good goddess' name as they emerged from the shadows of the pillars. Falchion's wielder was surprised; all these people seemed to believe the angel's words. Some even approached him to personally thank him, to which the angel sheepishly scratched his head. He quickly separated himself from the crowd before it could overwhelm him and skipped back to her side.

"Sorry about that!" he said, a goofy grin spread across his boyish face. "Ready to go?"

Chrom's daughter studied the angel closely. She had never been one to blindly trust anyone, friend or foe. Even when in the company of the Shepherds of Ylisse, she held secret doubts against all of her father's companions, suspecting each and every one of them of a treachery that had doomed her future. Lucina knew as well as anyone that even a face as innocent as Pit's could hide a deceiving cutthroat.

"How do I know I can trust you?" she finally voiced her suspicions.

That seemed to put a downer on the winged boy's spirit. His wings drooped slightly as he responded. "Trust me? Um, well… I'm an angel. It's against our sacred code of conduct to lead others on in deceit. We're to be honest at all times! …Except when it comes to Lady Palutena's cooking." He winced and quietly muttered, "Sorry, Lady Palutena…"

When she continued staring without uttering a word, the angel straightened. "Okay, how about this: I swear by the sacred name of Lady Palutena that I will in no way harm or deceive you. Angels' honor!"

He finished his oath by placing his fist over his heart. Lucina let her guard down a little, considering the angel's words. So far, he hadn't given her much reason to doubt him—if fact, he gave her anything but that. He had helped her take down that monster, and after that… She glanced over at the spectating villagers. Many were nodding encouragingly at her, as if trying to assure her that the boy could be trusted. He had treated them so kindly, she had to admit.

Numerous times, this Palutena character had been addressed as a goddess of light. If that were so, would she even be capable of deceit? What if she was a sham? Lucina shuddered inwardly as she thought of the Grimleal—the Plegian cult that had brought her world so much misery. The dark religion had followed foul practices designed to please the Fell Dragon Grima, and despite the corruption it sowed, it had fooled many into fervent but blind worship. What if Palutena was another Grima?

Lucina looked at the angel, and then back down to her sword. Although all her instincts told her one thing, it felt like her heart was telling her another. Even though she knew nothing about Palutena, Lucina couldn't deny she felt a certain degree of peace at the mere mention of the name. Looking at these people, and at Pit, she could almost see a spark of light in their countenance. Despite the attack, they seemed… happy. Almost glowing with joy. That was something she had never encountered with the Grimleal, whose joy came only when others suffered.

And then there was the temple itself. Lucina had seen for herself how it had repelled those creatures of darkness. It seemed silly to think that darkness could ever repel darkness, for a house divided would never stand.

She wondered: could darkness be disguised as light?

Maybe Palutena could have been another Grima… But what if she was another Naga?

Sighing in defeat, Lucina sheathed Falchion one more time. "Where are you taking me?" she asked submissively.

Pit beamed, his spark reigniting quickly. "To Palutena's Temple in Skyworld!"

He held out his hand. Lucina stared at it, wondering what exactly she was consigning herself to. She wasn't sure how she had ended up in this strange company, with dark beasts and winged men, but there was no going back. Hesitantly, she took it.

"Okay, Lady Palutena!" Pit lifted his eyes to the sky. "Beam us up!"

Lucina gasped in surprise as a warm beacon of light encircled them. A sound almost like a singing choir rang in her ears before she and the "angel" where slowly lifted from the earth. She opened her mouth to ask what was happening, but all she could manage was a small squeak before the damaged town disappeared completely from her view.

* * *

Palutena's extractions were as familiar to Pit as breathing. He never gave them much thought, nor did he think they were that frightening. Travelling through Palkia's wormholes was worse by far. Given that, he wasn't expecting "Marth's" reaction. The angel winced as the human's hold on his hand tightened into a death grip. He thought he would have lost all feeling in it if the trip hadn't been as short as it was. As soon as they had their feet on solid ground once again, the angel tried to reclaim his hand.

"Ow, ow, ow—Okay! We're here! You can let go now!" he whimpered.

'Marth' grunted an apology and quickly released him. The human, however, became quickly entranced by their new surroundings. While the angel tried to rub circulation back into his fingers, 'Marth' stepped across the forecourt of the temple grounds, gaping at the statue of Palutena gazing down at them above. Ethereal white wings of massive proportions extended from either side of it protectively over the temple, almost like an eagle guarding her nest.

Pit remembered asking Palutena once what the wings were made off, but he couldn't remember what her answer was.

The human's gaze continued to wander across the grounds, taking in all the white and golden architecture spread across the floating islands. Pit wondered what was going through his/her (er, its?) mind, but the mask hid any and all emotion the warrior might have been expressing.

Whatever it was, Pit figured he'd finally get around to formally welcoming the stranger.

"So, here we are," the angel gave a sweeping gesture towards the structures surrounding them. "Welcome to Skyworld!"

'Marth' was silent for a brief moment, as if still trying to decide what he/she thought of the place. "Are those islands… floating? In the sky?"

"Yep." Pit answered, popping his lips on the 'p'. "We don't call it Skyworld for nothing, you know."

"…How is this possible?" the human breathlessly muttered, speaking to his/herself.

Pit scratched his head, trying to make up his own mind on something else. The stranger's mask was making him feel uneasy, appearing so cold and impassive. What kind of person hid behind it, if it wasn't Marth? He wondered, but he didn't question his goddess's decisions. She trusted this human enough to bring them to her temple. They tended to work out in the end, even if, at times, it put the angel in danger.

"You should feel honored," he commented. "You're the first human that's ever set foot here, as far as I know."

"…Am I?" the human seemed surprised. Whatever thoughts went through his/her head, he/she eventually bowed his/her head in reverence. "It is an honor, then."

This person was respectful, at least, but Pit felt odd being on the receiving end of it. Usually folks just picked on him… Looking to change the subject, the brown-haired angel took a few steps towards the statue. "Lady Palutena is just up ahead—we shouldn't keep her waiting."

The human hesitated for a brief moment, but nodded his/her head.

Pit led the way through the temple's grounds, crossing first over the grand bridge that spanned the distance between the main island and Palutena's chambers. Thankfully, it had been repaired since the incident with the Chaos Kin, allowing easy access for mortals and flight-challenged angels. Most other sections of Skyworld had also seen renovation since then, although others still bore the scars of war. Yet the light of Angel Land had been restored, and Pit could think of no other place he would rather call home.

The walk to the temple was a long one, allowing 'Marth' plenty of time to enjoy the scenery. Every time Pit glanced over his shoulder to check on his charge, the human had his/her head turned towards some passing landmark, silently observing.

"What are all these buildings for?" Pit's charge startled him by speaking up. Their journey had been so quiet up until then, the angel hadn't been expecting a conversation. "It seems to me you have a small city here, not just a temple."

Pit frowned. Back in its golden age, Skyworld had been a bit of a city with all the angels that had lived here and served Lady Palutena. The Centurions made use of most of the buildings now, though some remained unused.

"Oh, this and that," Pit finally replied with a shrug. "Some are for living in. Others we use for training, or storage, sometimes banquets or dance parties. Maybe an occasional karaoke night."

"…Karaoke?"

"Yep. You know, singing? I don't mean to brag, but… I make a mean alto. I've written a few of my own songs, too."

"I'll… take your word for it." The conversation died after that, much to Pit's disappointment (after all, he wouldn't mind sharing one of his masterpieces). Their journey continued in an awkward silence, bringing them across the great bridge and into the courtyard of Palutena's Chambers. Although this had been one of the most drastically remodeled parts of the temple, Pit still hated passing through here. It reminded him all too clearly of the day he had to fight the goddess of light to free her from the Chaos Kin's control. The angel picked up his pace, which the stranger matched without question. Pit, however, could feel the human's eyes on the back of his head.

The Centurion Strongarms on either side of Palutena's door stood at attention as the duo approached, saluting their captain. However, they looked down at the human with some distrust, and seemed hesitant to let them pass.

"You may open the doors, Centurions. Lady Palutena wishes to speak with this human," Pit informed them simply, his tone suggesting that his words were an order.

The Strong Arms had no objections after that. With a grunt of affirmation, they reached out their brawny arms and pulled the giant doors apart, revealing the goddess's grand foyer in all its splendor. To Pit's surprise, Lady Palutena and Palkia were already waiting for them inside.

"There you are, Pit," she said pleasantly. "Looks like you made it back in one piece. Palkia's wormhole didn't turn you inside out after all."

The dragon beside her snorted.

Ignoring her, Pit strode forward and presented his charge. "I brought the human as requested, Lady Palutena."

"Thank you, Pit." Turning to '_Marth'_, she said, "Welcome to Angel Land, child of Naga. You may remove your mask; you're among friends, here."

* * *

_A/N: Did that battle seem a little too easy? Good ;) BTW, why _hasn't_ a Minotaur been used as a concept for a Heartless yet? It'd be a pretty cool beast, methinks. Well, here's to hoping in KH3! :D_


	6. Chapter 6: Lucina

**A/N: Oh hey, an update! Not as pleased as I have been with other chapters, but this one has its moments :) At any rate, this chapter was a lesson in RESEARCH xD**

* * *

Lucina had always lived in a world of impossibilities. She had seen the eyes of Grima and had survived. She had traveled to the past to avert a world apocalypse. She had changed both her fate and the fate of her loved ones. Now, she found herself on an island floating in the sky, standing face to face with a goddess.

Perhaps it all could have been an elaborate hoax, but Lucina felt very little doubt now that she saw with her own eyes. Palutena's presence was not unlike one she had felt before. In fact, Lucina could see some resemblance between this "goddess of light" and the all-mighty dragon, Naga. The green hair was only the beginning of the similarities. But the differences were there as well. While Naga bore an air of ancient wisdom and solemnity, Palutena glowed with warm and youthful energy.

Although she had been invited to remove her mask, Lucina continued to hesitate. "You know who I am?"

Palutena nodded, a smile never leaving her kind face. "Your name is Lucina, correct? Princess of Ylisse?"

The winged boy nearly jumped out of his feathers. "W-wait, '_Princess'_?"

Lucina didn't turn to look at him, instead keeping her gaze pointed at the goddess. To her surprise, however, a voice echoed through the room around them, seeming to have no discernable origin. The Exalt's daughter recognized soon, however, that the words were in her mind—similar to the way when Nah, Nowi, or Tiki spoke in their dragon forms. Lucina immediately lifted her eyes to the foyer's last occupant.

"_Don't tell me—out of all the games you've played, you haven't picked up the newest Fire Emblem?"_ the white-and-pink dragon smirked down at Pit.

"I played _Shadow Dragon_!" the angel objected.

"_I was talking about _Awakening_, you nitwit!" _

"_Awakening_? Oh, um…" Pit suddenly looked sheepish.

"He's not allowed to play anything over E ten and up," Palutena explained.

"…_Really?" _The dragon arched a brow.

"I know!" Pit groaned. "I keep telling her I'm over 100 years old now, but she won't even let me play _Twilight Princess_…"

Lucina turned to the angel with renewed amazement. How could he be that old? He looked no older than she was—younger, in fact. She would have pegged him for being fourteen or fifteen… Or five.

The dragon rumbled with laughter. _"Ha, right. Guess we wouldn't want to corrupt your young precious mind. It's a shame, though. You're missing out on a great game."_

The angel repeated his groan with more gusto. "Palkia, you're not helping me here."

Lucina glanced back up at the dragon, who Pit had called Palkia. She had no idea what they were talking about, or why they thought the Fire Emblem was some sort of game (perhaps a misunderstanding?). Hoping to change the subject, she asked, "Are you a Manakete?"

The giant reptile smirked. _"If I was, I'd be the most broken unit ever."_

"There's a lot of explaining we need to do," Palutena cut in before Lucina could ask what a "broken unit" was. "But I have a few questions to ask you, first. So… the mask?"

The goddess gestured once again to Lucina. The room fell silent as all eyes turned to her, breathlessly waiting for the unveiling. Lucina clenched her jaw, conscious of their stares. She felt hesitant to remove her mask. To her, it had been a source of security. Since leaving the world of her parent's past, it had shielded her from strangers and kept her anonymous. At the same time, it served as a painful reminder of her self-induced exile. Still, it had no use here. Palutena somehow knew who she was. What point was there in hiding?

Reaching up her hands, Lucina untied the bands of her mask. As it fell from her face, her long cobalt hair fell in waves past her shoulders, unmasking her true identity. She opened her eyes, revealing unflinching sapphire orbs that returned the goddess's patient gaze with the pride that spoke of her noble bloodline. One was marked clearly with the sacred symbol of Naga.

Pit, of course, was the one to state the obvious. "S-she… She really _is_ a girl!" He took a step back, clearly floored even when the others seemed unsurprised.

"_Pit. You have the observational skills of a Zubat…"_ muttered Palkia.

"What are you talking about? Zubat don't have eyes…"

Ignoring her snort of contempt, Pit opened his mouth as if to ask Lucina more questions. However, his goddess quickly stepped in.

"Sorry, Pit, but you'll have to save your questions for later. First, I think Lucina should tell us her story." Turning to her, the goddess asked, "How did you get here?"

Lucina knitted her brows together, letting her gaze fall to the white tiled floor. There wasn't much of a story to tell. After the Fell Dragon Grima was defeated, she had spent most of her time wandering the continents, searching for her place in the world. After some time…

"I… came to the Outrealm Gate," the blue-haired youth said.

Palkia suddenly roared with outrage. "_OLD MAN HUBBA?! I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN! THAT PERVERTED SON OF A—"_

"Palkia!" Palutena tersely hissed. "Not in front of the angel!"

Said angel, oblivious to whatever phrase Palkia had been intending to use, was more concerned with names. "Who's Old Man Hubba? What's the Outrealm Gate?"

Manakete or not, the last thing Lucina wanted to deal with was a livid dragon. Speaking quickly, she interjected, "I did not encounter the fortune-teller."

Palkia and Palutena immediately clammed up, staring.

"When I arrived," Lucina continued, "it was Anna that greeted me at the Gate."

"_Anna_?" the dragon frowned. She and the Palutena exchanged looks, but it was the goddess that urged, "Go on."

The ex-princess reflected back on her strange encounter with the Anna gatekeeper. She was one of a dozen identical women who traveled her old world selling goods, and while all had their quirks this one had been especially curious.

* * *

The Gate of the past had been no different from the Gate of the future. The island it rested on was nothing more than a barren rock jutting from the ocean, devoid of life both green and breathing. The occasional ruin struck the imagination that it might not have always been so, but Lucina suspected the decimated buildings had held religious rather than practical purposes.

The last time Lucina had traveled to the Outrealm, she had been guided by Naga and accompanied by trusted comrades. Risen had harried them from all directions, giving them no peace until they slipped through the Gate.

Now, Lucina was alone, and the island was dead silent.

It was strange; the landmarks were familiar to her, and yet she felt as if she were drifting through a dream, or a ghost of a memory. Nothing felt real.

_A far off dream that was like a scattered memory… A scattered memory that was like a far off dream…_

Lost in herself, Lucina hardly expected to run into anyone. She nearly jumped out of her skin when she rounded a corner and collided with a colorfully dressed redhead.

"Well, will you look who it is?" Anna greeted, putting a hand on her hip. "The former Princess of Ylisse, finally gracing my doorstep. It's about time, hun—I was beginning to wonder if you'd ever show up. Looks like Hubba just lost a bet."

Lucina eyed the woman warily through the slits in her mask. She knew better than to make assumptions of familiarity with Annas. She had dealt with many, both in the past and the future-past, and it was impossible to tell them apart. When dealing with anyone member of the clan of identical-appearing women, it was always a necessity to ask, "Have we met?"

"Nope," Anna replied casually, as if it was the most natural thing to know someone's secrets without ever meeting face-to-face. "This is the first time we've ever met."

Disturbed, Lucina began, "Then how do you—"

"Details," the redhead waved her hand impatiently. "They don't matter. What really matters is: what are you going to do now?"

Lucina stared, stricken with sudden speechlessness.

Anna grinned. "Welcome to the Outrealm Gate. Care to visit another world?"

She stepped aside, swinging her arm in a grand gesture as if to reveal the sight behind her. Lucina tightened her jaw, recognizing the valley before them. At the bottom rested the Gate. Nondescript in appearance, it had been crudely carved from the surrounding stone with little adornments etched into its surface. Lucina would have passed it off for ordinary and insignificant, were it not for the eerie blue light escaping the cracks.

"You knew I was coming," said Lucina, stating rather than asking.

"Obviously. I know your story better than you think—you came back from the future of despair to rewrite history. You saved your father, changed the Heart of Grima, and saw the end of the Fell Dragon. You did all that you wanted and more… But now that your work here is done, you find yourself in a world you don't belong to. It was only a matter of time before you ended up on these shores."

The cobalt-haired princess winced. Her inner turmoil had been laid bare before her by a complete stranger with unsettling lucidity. To say she was disturbed was a sad understatement. How did this Anna know so much? It seemed impossible, unless she was some kind of seer or oracle. Who knew? The Anna clan was an enigma in this world no one could understand; they kept their secrets to themselves. This woman was no different, having made it clear that she wasn't going to answer any personal questions.

Swallowing her misgivings, Lucina decided to move on with other questions—some she was reluctant to ask. "Can the Gate take me back?"

"To the future? Your future? 'Fraid not, hun. The Gate doesn't quite work like that—see, you can only travel back in time. Going forward is a messy business… At any rate, _that_ future doesn't exist anymore. Even if there was a way, what would be the point?"

That news came as another crushing blow to Lucina, despite how insouciantly Anna delivered it. Naga had, of course, warned her of this. Even though Lucina had accepted that, she had had hopes that perhaps…

She turned her gaze back to the stone doors. Even beneath her mask, her expression was unreadable even though she was on the edge of despair. "Where else do these doors lead?"

Anna shrugged. "Your guess is as good as mine."

"…Beg pardon?"

"Well you see, it all depends on which worlds are closest to ours at the moment you step through."

"Which worlds… are closest?"

"What, are you really gonna make me explain it?" The woman sighed with exaggeration. "Fine, it's like this: you are currently standing at the edge of the world; if you step beyond this point, you'll find yourself at the beginning of another. See, the Gate can take you through both time _and_ space. I should mention, though, that the worlds are always in motion. You'll never know which one you'll end up in, though they usually tend to be in need."

Wrapping her mind around the concept of time-travel had been difficult enough for Lucina, but now the redheaded gatekeeper was heaping even more abstract knowledge on her head. She felt her head spinning as she thought about it—worlds other than her own. At the same time, the revelation wasn't mind-blowing to the point it was crippling. In fact, it seemed reasonable… maybe even logical.

"I suppose my journey, if anything, has taught me that anything is possible," she mused out loud, not really addressing the gatekeeper.

Anna, however, heard it. "Bingo!" She snapped her fingers. "Anything is possible—that's the best attitude you could ever ask for when facing life. That's what I always say. Given that, it's possible for you to become whatever you want. So I got a question for you now, Princess Lucina: what do you want out of life?"

Unprepared for the question, Lucina faltered. "Wh-what?"

"You know, you've always acted for the good of others—which is a good thing, don't get me wrong. But now, you're here, and you're alone. Your past no longer exists, and there's no going back. So what will you do now—for you?"

When the princess remained silent, Anna began circling around her. "You got two choices, really. You can stay here in this world and do Naga knows what for how long… OR…" Anna held her forefinger in the air dramatically. "You take a chance and let the Gate take you wherever it may."

Lucina trained her sapphire eyes on the doors. Anna was right about one thing: in the future-past, her decisions were mostly made on behalf of the people's welfare. Many had been difficult. Some she had made without a second thought to save lives. None had been made selfishly.

No one was depending on her now. For the first time for as long as she could remember, Lucina faced a decision she could be entirely selfish with. Rather than feeling liberating, it felt… uncomfortable.

Should she stay? Or should she go?

The ex-princess thought of the reasons why she had come to this world in the first place. As Anna had said, she had done all that she had set out to do. Disasters had been averted, and destiny rewritten. The road hadn't been easy, and several times her mission seemed doomed to failure, but she had done it. The new future was bright for the Lucina of this Age. But where did that leave the old Lucina?

_Where did she belong?_

Perhaps if she had been like her comrades from the future, she could have lingered. However, the mark that meant to signify her royal heritage now made her an outcast. She couldn't stay in Ylisse. There would be questions, complications. Even though she had made the world a better place, it remained a different place—one that had no place for her.

Could she be selfish? Just this one time?

Watching Lucina's inner struggle, the mischievous glint normally seen in Anna's eyes extinguished. Facing the princess, Anna with somberness said, "There is still much good you can do."

"…I will go."

Anna smiled approvingly. "That's my girl."

The redhead turned to the Gate, producing a rod seemingly from nowhere. Waving it, she beckoned the doors to open. Lucina watched glumly as they slowly answered, swinging outward and bathing her in an ethereal blue light. The last time she had seen this sight, she had been escaping a dying world, surrounded by friends and enemies alike. Now she stood calmly before the Gates with no real urgency; the anxiety she felt now came from a longing, not pure desperation. She still had to wonder: was she doing the right thing?

No turning back now.

"When you go through, you'll be asked three questions," Anna informed the young woman as she took her by the shoulder, gently prodding her forward. "Answer them honestly, and the magic will do the rest!"

Curious—she hadn't been told that last time. But this was not the same, and Lucina had no time to ask about it.

"Thank you, Anna." A grin from Lucina was rare, but a genuine one found its way. Bracing herself, Lucina stepped past the doorstep.

* * *

"Anna gave me an offer," Lucina chose to summarize her experience in as few words as possible. "I decided to take it."

She left it there, making it clear she didn't want to explain further. Palutena seemed to catch on to her unspoken request, saying nothing as she studied the young woman with tight lips. Pit opened his mouth as if to ask questions regardless, but silenced by the tip of a dragon's tail.

Taking the opportunity to change the subject, Lucina asked, "What is going on in this world? What were those creatures?"

Palutena exhaled, rubbing her temple with a forefinger. Today was just one problem right after another. First an outraged dragon, then the Heartless, and now an Outsider… All together they culminated into a monstrous headache she couldn't deal with all at once. The goddess needed a reprieve—a moment to gather her thoughts.

"You probably have questions more to ask me," she finally replied. "I will answer them as best as I can, but not now. We'll talk after lunch. For now, you should rest. Pit, can you show her to the guest chambers?"

The angel looked incredibly put off. "Are you gonna have me play escort all day long?"

"Pretty please?" She returned his frown with an apologetic look, which seemed to pacify the boy into submission.

"…All right, but only because you asked. Er, this way, your highness."

Lucina gave the goddess one last glance before following the angel, clearly disappointed but too tired to object. Palutena listened until their footsteps faded down the hallway.

"Things just got complicated," the goddess sighed as soon as she was sure they were out of ear-shot.

Her draconian guest snorted. _"If Kingdom Hearts is involved, of course it will be complicated." _Sobering, Palkia asked, _"You think Anna knows?" _

"Honestly, I don't know what to think of that woman. But she must have known something."

"_Should we contact Naga?" _

"No. She's had enough to deal with lately. I wouldn't be surprised if she went back to sleep again after all she went through."

"_What are you going to do with the girl, then?"_

"I hate to say it, but… we need her help. You saw for yourself that Falchion's effective against the Heartless. Pit's strong, but he can't take them on alone. And besides…" The goddess glanced back down the hall. "Where else does she have to go? She's Lost, now."

* * *

**A/N: The scene with Anna gave me quite a bit of grief-when I first wrote it, I hadn't realized that Lucina had actually been to the Outrealm Gates before (I didn't want to consider any DLC to be canon for this story, but looks like it will be oops). As it turns out, that's how she came to the past in the first place. So... basically I had to rewrite the last half if this chapter (which is why I'm not too pleased with it) xD But hey! Finally, Lucina and Pit interactions! Awkwardness! xD**


	7. Chapter 7: Tea Time with Palutena

**A/N: Aaaand here we go! :) Some of these next few chapters will start with a flashback of Lucina's journey through the Outrealm Gate, just so you don't get confused ^^ Also, there's a reference in this chapter to a scene from a classical Disney animation (well, there's two kind of, though I wouldn't count the second as a classic yet xD). Cookies to you if you get it ;D Also, we're getting closer to actually getting the main quest of this story started! YES! As much as I love Skyworld, I'd like to start getting into the different worlds of the Nintendo-verse. Without further ado...**

* * *

_Whiteness engulfed Lucina when she stepped through the Outrealm Gate. Unlike the last time, it didn't fade out; she seemed stuck in between, walking through an endless empty space with nothing but white in all directions. She panicked at the unfamiliarity, fearing that something had gone wrong. However, such fears were forgotten as a shape materialized as if through a fog. _

_Muscular in build, Lucina immediately took it for a man. Two swords hung from either side of his hips, and as more of his features became apparent she could see the long white ponytail held above his pinched face. Lucina realized that she had caught a glimpse of this man before—in one of the most important battles of the Valmese War. _

"_Yen'fay?" she cautiously asked. _

_The swordsman didn't acknowledge her inquiry. Peering at her through squinted eyes, he asked her, "What is it you are so afraid of?" _

_Lucina knitted her brows together. What was going on? Why was Yen'fay here, and why was he asking her such a strange question? After some puzzling, she remembered: Anna had warned her of this; she was to be asked three questions which she had to answer honestly. Perhaps this was all just part of the test. Yen'fay, whether or not he was real, seemed to be waiting patiently for the answer, his posture relaxed. Lucina sensed that she had time to ponder her response thoroughly. _

"_Losing the ones I love," she finally concluded, eyeing the once-enemy general closely. _

_Yen'fay nodded grimly. "I once failed to protect the ones that mattered most to me. Truly, there is no pain greater… For all the shame I felt, in time I began to realize—whether or not our loved ones are with us in the flesh, they will always be in our hearts. You must honor their memory…"_

_The white fog shifted, and the Chon'sin general disappeared from her sight, leaving the princess to ponder his cryptic message._

* * *

"So, er, sorry if things are a bit dusty," Pit apologized as he opened the double doors that led to the guest chambers. "We haven't had a guest since… Actually, now that I think about it, I can't remember the last time we had a guest."

Lucina said nothing as she stepped inside. Like every other part of the temple, the room was blindingly white. Flawless marble framed the circular room, interrupted every so often by ribbed columns and golden sconces promising to hold fire when evening fell. A massive bed graced the far end, hidden by an excessive amount of silk curtains. Several more curtains billowed out around a glass door that seemed to lead to a furnished balcony.

Pit watched her anxiously, wondering what she thought. He found that even without the mask on, he had trouble reading her. Not that he was ever good at reading people; he didn't exactly have the practice for that, being cooped up in Skyworld with Centurions for eons. Was that why he was so gullible? Ah, he was getting off topic. At any rate, Lucina didn't look completely disgusted with the furnishings, so… that was good.

"There's some extra clothes in the closet, I think… If you need any, that is," said Pit, stepping in behind her. Remembering his manners, he quickly added, "Your highness."

"Lucina," she replied shortly. "Please, just Lucina."

"O…kay?" That confused Pit a little. Didn't Palutena say she was a princess? Truthfully, she didn't exactly act like one—going around wearing masks and beating things up with a big sword and the like. But what did he know? The only experience he had with them was through games, where they were always being kidnapped or throwing fancy parties. She _was_ a Fire Emblem character, though. They were a little different.

He relaxed a little, relieved that he didn't have to worry about all that protocol. First name basis was best basis in his book, pardoning the Lady.

"If you ever need something while you're staying here," he continued, "there's a bell over there that'll summon one of the Centurions. There's also… Oh! Oh! Lemme show you the hot springs!"

"The wha—?" Before Lucina could begin to frame her question, Pit grabbed her wrist and yanked her across the room, making a beeline to one of the side rooms. The air grew noticeably humid before the short hallway spat that out into yet another circular room. This one, however, sported one thing and one thing only: a golden pool of steaming water.

"Now I've seen everything," Lucina muttered, sound baffled and amused at the same time.

Pit took in a deep breath, drinking in the warm vapor. The springs looked so inviting, he couldn't help himself. The angel took the last few steps separating him from watery pleasure and jumped in. Lucina recoiled sharply to avoid getting splashed.

"Ah," the angel sighed dreamily when he surfaced, indifferent to the fact that his clothes were now completely soaked. "Nothing like a good quick healing in the hot springs!" Grinning up at the staring young woman, he waved, "Come on in, the water's great!"

She made no move to join him, instead shooting him a rather annoyed look that instantly made the angel uncomfortable. "I think I will pass," she said in a dry undertone.

"Are you sure? These hot springs are magic, you know, and they'll heal—Whoa! What's wrong with your eye?"

Out of reflex, Lucina turned away, shielding the left side of her face. Rather tersely, she snapped, "There is nothing 'wrong' with my eye. I thank you for your assistance, but I believe I can take things from here."

Pit frowned. Was she… dismissing him? "But… I had some questions about your game and—"

"I do not play games, nor would I have the desire to. Now would you kindly leave?"

Feeling like a child that just received a harsh scolding, Pit abashedly rose out of the water. Muttering an apology, he took his leave, dripping water all over the floor as he retreated.

Looking at the puddles he left behind, Lucina sighed. "Gods… What have I gotten myself into?"

* * *

"_So then I said, 'You know what your problem is, Arceus? You got your da—'_," the dragon cut off short as a rather dejected angel joined them in the kitchen. _"Oh, hey chicken wings. Something got your Gogoat?" _

Palutena glanced up from mixing something in a bowl, looking surprised before her expression creased in worry. "Pit? Is everything okay? …Why are you soaking wet?"

Pit collapsed onto a kitchen stool with a harrumph. Dealing with Lucina, he decided, was a lot like dealing with Viridi or any of the other women he had met on this crazy world (in fact, now that he thought about it, he seemed to surrounded by them). Somehow they all left him feeling frustrated and confused, no matter what he did to please them.

The angel chose to summarize all his problems in one short statement: "I don't understand girls!"

Palkia snorted in her usual cynical tone. _"That's a shocker."_

Setting her spoon aside, Palutena put a hand on her hip. "What did you do?"

"Nothing!" the angel lifted his hands defensively.

The goddess of light continued to scrutinize him through narrowed eyes.

Pit squirmed uncomfortably in his chair. "I don't know! I was just showing her around and—"

"You jumped into the hot spring, didn't you?"

"It was a hot spring! How could I _not_ jump in?"

The goddess heaved a weary sigh before returning to her mixing. "We really need to work on your etiquette, Pit."

"_Particularly about how to act around a lady, it seems,_" Palkia grinned toothily.

"Hey, it's not like—wait…" Pit dropped the conversation completely, taking note of what his goddess was doing. "Are you… cooking?"

"Of course I am," she stabbed her spoon into the mystery substance in the bowl, which for some reason had an unusual green tint. "What kind of a host doesn't cook for her guests?"

The angel involuntarily winced. "Yeah, but maybe you should let Louis—"

"Nonsense. I'm perfectly capable of preparing a meal. It's simple! All you do is follow the recipe."

Palutena's general gave the mess scattered before his goddess dubiously, suddenly losing his appetite. The goddess of light had many talents and powers, but cooking was not one of them. The last time she had tried cooking, Skyworld nearly fell to a carrot apocalypse… Unfortunately, once she was bent on doing something, there was no talking her out of it. The angel could only pray that lunch would turn out. Somehow.

Scanning the recipe displayed on her mirror shield, Palutena read, "Okay, next it says to fold eggs in gently…"

The goddess turned to the ingredients scattered across the table, scanning over them twice before spotting the ivory ovals. She picked them up and studied them before shrugging, "Oh well!", and placed them straight into the bowl—shells and all. Humming pleasantly, she manually folded the dough over the eggs. Pit cringed when he heard the shells crack under her hands.

_Lord Zeus Almighty_.

Pit cleared his throat. "Uh… How about _I_ make the tea, Lady Palutena?"

* * *

It took some convincing, but Palutena eventually consented to let Pit prepare the tea. Thus the brave warrior was barely able to salvage their lunch. He couldn't make tea on the same level the Centurion cook Louis could, but at the very least they had something consumable by the time everyone was summoned to the table.

With the latest disaster averted, Pit realized he had another problem coming: eating lunch with their new guest. He shot a fleeting glance at the dining area entrance, wondering if Lucina was still upset at him. Such worries frustrated him, as he believed that he had done nothing wrong. Did jumping into someone else's hot spring really spell the end of the world? It wasn't like that had been a problem before—there had been countless times the angel had helped himself to the magical spas: the Reaper Fortress, the Space Pirate's Ship… heck, even the Underworld! No one had objected then, not even Medusa!

…Was it something he said, maybe? He had been trying to be friendly, and maybe get to know her a little better. Was that so wrong? No, maybe he had been wrong about Lucina. Maybe all princesses were stuck-up, snobby, miserable little—

"Princess Lucina!" Palutena warmly greeted. Pit's eyes shot back to the doorway, where the blue-haired young woman was being led into the room by a tiny Centurion. The grime of battle had been washed from her face and hair, and she had exchanged her blue battle duds for a clean set of white and green robes. She seemed slightly uncomfortable in the unfamiliar Grecian garb, but at least they had had something for her to wear. Hopefully, the servant Centurions would be working on cleaning her original uniform.

Palutena waved at the table before her, saying, "Please, take a seat."

Lucina nodded at the invitation and made her way to the table, purposely (Pit was sure) avoiding the angel's gaze. She took her seat next to Palkia, who had somehow shrunk down to human size so she could sit at Palutena's elegant white table. After the goddess excused the servant Centurions, their modest lunch affair began. The table had been spread with fresh fruits and vegetables, which had been another suggestion made by Pit (so at least some of the food was edible). Palutena's creation—spinach puffs, supposedly—were left untouched by all except Palkia, who downed them with great gusto.

Between all her bites of… whatever it was… Palkia dominated the conversation. Even though her stature had changed, she had no less amount of volume behind her voice. Which was weird to Pit, since she didn't even use her mouth to talk. …How did that work, anyway?

Lucina was mostly quiet during their meal. She would answer the occasional question Palutena would pose, but in the fewest amount of words possible. Despite her silence, the princess seemed to be making an honest effort to follow the conversation, though ultimately failing.

In time, the tea and food disappeared. Palutena dabbed at her lips with her napkin before setting her plate aside, her liveliness dampening into seriousness.

"Palkia, I believe we should start answering questions now," she said.

"_Right,"_ the dragon grunted. _"We'll start with Lucina's, since they're bound to be the only intelligent ones."_

"Hey!" objected Pit.

He was, of course, ignored. The deity of space concentrated on the princess as she began, _"You asked us what was going on in this world—well, it's the same thing that's going on in all the worlds: the Heartless." _

"Heartless?" Lucina furrowed her brows.

"Those creatures you just fought," Palutena explained. "They are beings of darkness created when a person loses their heart."

"_And we don't mean the organ that pumps blood_," added Palkia. _"We're talking about the center of our emotions and memories."_

"It's both physical and metaphysical," the goddess nodded.

"That's… confusing," Pit put in his two cents, even if they were muddled.

The blue-haired princess stayed silent, mentally chewing through the new information. Her culture had supported the belief of the metaphysical heart, and knew enough of the physical, but it seemed there was more to the heart than she previously gave credit.

"The Heartless are driven by an insatiable hunger," Palutena continued. "They continually search for more hearts to consume. Since almost all hearts contain darkness, no one is safe from them."

"_They're like a disease,"_ Palkia sneered, narrowing her eyes. _"Once they infect a planet, they'll grow and grow until they find the cornucopia of hearts… The heart of the world."_

"Worlds have hearts?" piped Pit, leaning over the table to get closer to the conversation.

The dragon snorted in contempt. _"That's what I just said, ain't it?"_

"But you only—"

"What happens when the Heartless consume the heart of a world?" Lucina interrupted, wanting to stay on topic.

Palutena's expression grew grim. "The world disappears."

Lucina and Pit were taken aback. "D-disappear? What do you mean by that?" asked the angel.

The goddess sadly shook her head. "I mean, it fades from existence. The darkness released by the Heartless destroys it completely."

"_I've seen it one too many times,"_ Palkia sighed. _"Stars winking out. Skies darkening. Worlds here for one moment; gone the next." _

The space deity's gruffness dropped completely, showing for the first time signs of her uphill battle. Her shoulders and wings drooped; her eyes were hooded, peering at the world with weariness. Pit wondered how long the dragon had tried to keep the Heartless at bay alone. Perhaps it was a good thing after all that she had popped into their world, even if she nearly shredded the winged teenager to pieces.

"What happens to the inhabitants of those worlds?" Lucina asked, her voice barely a whisper.

"_Gone,"_ was her answer. _"Lost to darkness…"_

The lunch room became painfully quiet.

Pit clenched his fists, a sudden passion seizing him. People were losing their homes—losing their lives—even as they stood there talking about it. With that knowledge, he couldn't just stand by. Looking at his goddess and the dragon Pokémon with fierce determination, he said, "How can we stop them?"

The same look was in Lucina's own eyes. She followed the angel's gaze with no less fortitude, just as eager for a reply. Although their courage was admirable, Palkia's face twisted into a scowl.

"_There's not much _we_ can do,"_ said the dragon.

Pit didn't care for that answer. Slamming his fists on the table, rattling the dinnerware, he exclaimed, "There's gotta be something!"

Lucina, on the other hand, caught the Pokémon's strange tone. "If not us… is there someone who can?" she inquired, watching Palkia closely.

The deities exchanged looks, looking hesitant to reply.

Frustrated by their reluctance, Pit said, "Please, if you know something, tell us!"

"There… is a way," Palutena began. "But…"

Palkia pushed herself out from her chair, rising to her feet. Looking straight at the young warriors, she explained, _"In the universe the Heartless came from, there is a special weapon known as the _Keyblade_."_

"Keyblade?" Pit furrowed his brows, while Lucina frowned.

"_Yep. Keyblade. It's a nifty, magical weapon that can lock or unlock anything—and it is the only thing that can vanquish a Heartless for good." _

This time, it was Lucina and Pit's turn to exchange looks.

"But Falchion and the Kingdom Bow got rid of them," noted Pit.

"_Hate to say it, but… they didn't. Not really. All they did is temporarily destroy their physical forms. Give 'em a few days of smoldering in the darkness, and they'll be back." _

Despair washed over Pit. The Heartless would return? The humans would be in danger again! After he had told them they would be okay…

Different thoughts seemed to go through Lucina's mind. After staring at the end of the table a while, she asked, "How were we able to affect them at all? The weapons of those men back at the village slipped right through the creatures as if they were made of nothing."

Palutena stepped up to answer that question. "Weapons of light or magic can prove somewhat effective against them. I created Pit's bow and infused it with some of my light. If I recall, your blade was created from Naga's tooth and blessed with her power, was it not?"

"_But only the Keyblade can release the captured hearts from the Heartless and defeat them for good,"_ Palkia finished. _"But that's not even the most important thing it can do. A Keyblade's useful for lockin' the Keyhole to a world's heart, keeping the Heartless from finding it in the first place."_

Pit's head was spinning with all this new vocabulary he was learning today. First the Heartless… then the Keyblade… Now Keyholes? "Wait… what's a Keyhole?"

"_You need to get your ears checked or something? A Keyhole is like the door to a world's heart. Keep up, chicken wings." _

While Pit scowled at the dragon, Lucina divined where the conversation was going. "So if we find this Keyblade, we will be able to protect the worlds?"

"…In theory," said Palutena.

Palkia grinned approvingly. _"I like this one. She's sharp. …Unlike a certain angel I could mention…"_

Ignoring her jab, Pit asked, "So where can we find a Keyblade?"

Both deities clammed up; Palutena bit her lip while Palkia twitched her claws uncomfortably. "We don't know," the goddess of light finally replied.

* * *

**A/N: Why does Palkia have to pick on Pit so much? Hmm, probably because she's still sore about getting beat by him xD**


End file.
